Game of Thrones leads Emmy nominations

Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister holds one of the bigger “Game of Thrones” nominations.

Fantasy drama “Game of Thrones” is leading this year's Primetime Emmy Award nominations, with 19 nods including best drama series. The TV version of 1996 film “Fargo” scored 18 nods, including nominations for Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thornton. Freeman had a second nomination for best supporting actor in a mini-series or movie for “Sherlock: His Last Vow”. The BBC programme is also up for best television movie, with Cumberbatch nominated in the mini-series or movie lead actor category. He will go up against Freeman and Thornton for “Fargo”, Mark Ruffalo for his part in Aids drama “The Normal Heart” and fellow Britons Chiwtel Ejiofor and Idris Elba for their respective roles in “Dancing on the Edge” and “Luther”. British actresses also received nods in the mini-series or movie categories. Helena Bonham Carter is nominated for her portrayal of Elizabeth Taylor in “Burton and Taylor”, with Minnie Driver also up for her role in pregnancy drama “Return to Zero”. Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson from “American Horror Story: Coven” were also nominated, as were Cicely Tyson for “The Trip to Bountiful” and Kristen Wiig for “The Spoils of Babylon”. “Downton Abbey” stars Dame Maggie Smith and Joanne Froggatt will also go up against Lena Headey for “Game of Thrones” for the supporting actress in a drama series prize. The supporting actor in a drama series category also has stiff competition, led by Peter Dinklage from “Game of Thrones”, Aaron Paul for “Breaking Bad” and Jim Carter for “Downton Abbey” and including Josh Charles for “The Good Wife”, Mandy Patinkin for “Homeland” and Jon Voight in “Ray Donovan”.

“Orange is the New Black”, in its debut season, has picked up 12 nods.

Matthew McConaughey landed a nomination for his role in TV crime drama “True Detective”. The star, who won an Oscar for “Dallas Buyers Club” in March, is nominated for best actor in a drama series, alongside his co-star Woody Harrelson. They will compete against Bryan Cranston for “Breaking Bad”, Jeff Daniels for “The Newsroom”, Jon Hamm for “Mad Men” and Kevin Spacey for “House of Cards”. Best actress in a drama nods have gone to Lizzy Caplan for “Masters of Sex”, Claire Danes for “Homeland”, Michelle Dockery for “Downton Abbey”, Julianna Margulies for “The Good Wife”, Kerry Washington for “Scandal” and Robin Wright for “House of Cards”. The coveted best drama series award will see “Game of Thrones” duel it out with “Breaking Bad”, “Downton Abbey”, “House of Cards”, “Mad Men” and “True Detective”. Sitcom “Modern Family” will be hoping for a fifth consecutive best comedy series prize, facing competition from “The Big Bang Theory”, “Louie”, “Orange is the New Black”, “Silicon Valley” and “Veep”. Ricky Gervais is nominated for lead actor in a comedy series against Louis CK for “Louie”, Don Cheadle for “House of Lies”, Matt LeBlanc for “Episodes”, William H Macy for “Shameless” and Jim Parsons for “The Big Bang Theory”. Taylor Schilling's nod in the lead actress in a comedy series for “Orange is the New Black” was one of 12 nominations for the Netflix prison dark comedy. The online streaming company more than doubled its nominations from last year, scoring 31 in total with political drama “House of Cards” also earning 13 nods. “Modern Family” stars Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen also scored nods in the supporting actor categories in a comedy. The awards will be handed out at a Los Angeles ceremony on August 25.